Automatic train-stop and signal mechanism.



E. M. JONES. AUTOMATIC! TRAIN STOP AND SIGNAL MECHANISM.

- APPLIOATIOH PILED OUT. 14, 1910. 1,129,200. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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- I E. M. JONES. AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP AND SIGNAL MBOHAHIEM. APP IJOATIOI TILED OUT, 14, 1910.

1,129,200. I v Patented Feb.23,1915.

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Y/ZZ ZE ESEE I j f'zusnfar THC NORRIS PKTKRS CO" PHOTO-h '7.. WASHING!!!" D E. H. J ONES. AUTOMATIC 'nmn are? AND SIGNAL unommsu.

APILIOATIO! FILED DOT. 14, 1910.

1,1 93390. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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% QQ M Z "(I NORRIS Pmll m. FNOTULITNO WASHINOION. D- C- UNITED STATES PATENT ornrcn.

ELMER M. JONES, 0F ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO JONES SIGNAL SYSTEM COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF GEORGIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Application tiled October 14, 1910. Serial No. 587,053.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Emma M. Jones, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Tram- Stops and Signal Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to rovide in a simple and effective form, mec anism for automatically giving an indication on a moving vehicle of track conditionsather by applying the brake automatically or giving some other indication, as desired.

My invention is well adapted for use in conjunction with an electric signal system, employing track rails or a portion thereof as conductors, whereby the mechanism may be set to act on the vehicle or not, according to whether the block ahead is occupied or clear. The present invention, however, relates to the coiiaerating mechanism alon the trackway an on the moving vehicle and is independent of the particular kind of track system employed.

The invention comprises a movable actuator along the trackway adapted to enga 'e or clear mechanism on the moving vehic e which controls the indication, combined with mechanism along the trackway adapted to he engaged by the moving vehicle and adapted to move said actuator, thcrc bcin means for preventin such movement of tie actuator by the ve liCiO under certain conditions.

The more particular embodiment of these cooperating mechanisms, hereinafter more fully described, is also included within my invention.

The invention moreover includes various subsidiary features contributin to the efficiency of the mechanism and operation. Accordingly, the invention may be best summarized as comprising the combinations of essential elements set out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a trackway and a truck of a vehicle both equipped with my mechanism; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a track and vehicle mechanism showing the relative osition they occupy when the vehicle is ust engaging the track driver; Fig. 8 is a similar view after the vehicle is moved forward slightly showing the actuator raised into position to engage the indicating mechanism on the locomotive; Fig. 4 is a similar view with the vehicle still farther forward and shows the position after the actuator has operated the locomotive indication; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, being a vertical section through a portion of the track mechanism showing the parts in the position they may occupy when the track signal mechanism has established a clear condition and the vehicle has acted on the driver; Fig. 6 is a plan of the locomotive equipment; Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the track mechanism adjacent to the main shaft; Fig. 8 is a detail, being a section across the main shaft, as indicated by the line 88.of Fig. 7,11gs. 9 and 10 are diagrammatic views representing respectively a bottom plan of the locomotive equipment and a top plan of the track equi ment. The position of the locomotive equipment with reference to the track equipment is indicated by the broken lines a-@ and bb in these views, the correspondingly designated lines indicating the same vertical plane when the parts are in co-aetion; Fig. 11 is a vertical section showing track mechanism in a somewhat simplified form.

I will first describe the vehicle equipment shown. Fig. 1 illustrates a truck designated l which may be, for example, the truck of a locomotive tender. 2 designates the frame of the locomotive equipment of my mechanism. This frame is preferably a casting of substantially the form shown and heavy enough to withstand shocks to which it might be subjected. The truck shown is of a standard type, namely, it has a lower strap 3 and a diagonal strap 4 leading from the base of the central strut portion 5 to the bottom and top, respectively, of the journal boxes. With such form of truck, I make the casting 2 with lugs 6 on its inner side formed to occupy the triangular spaces between the straps 3 and 4 on opposite sides of the central frame 5, and I secure the casting in place by bolts 8 passing from the front of the casting through these lugs and through plates 9 which stand on the rear side of the straps. These plates refer-ably have inward projections, as indicated by 10, entering between the straps to insure the plate against working out of place. With such a construction, the casting may be secured very rigidly to the truck frame.

The casting 2 has a forward shoe portion or bumper 1'2 and a rearward shoe or bumper 13 adapted to protect the mechanism by warding off anything which may stand unduly close.- Behind these shoe portions, the casting is preferably recessed or hollowed, as shown at Hand 15, respectively, for lightness, such hollow portions roviding back plates through which the bolts 8 above mentioned pass. The back of the casting, with the exception of the lugs 6, is preferably a continuous plate adapted to lie against the outer side of the truck. On the outer side of the castiug,'located interincdiatcly, it has a box-like portion for containing the operating mechanism, this portion being provided by vertical walls 20 and 21 and a bottom portion 22. The casting, therefore, in the form shown, provides a bottom, ends and back for this box-like portion.

30 designates a suitable removable cover which is adapted to extend over the top and front of the intermediate box.

Within the box described on the vehicle equipment, is a suitable air pipe 32. In this pipe is a valve 33 adapted to close or open the pipe. 3i indicates a lever on thew-hive stem which is connected by a link 35 with an operating arm 30 pivoted in the box'and occupying a slot 37 in the bottom plate 22 thereof. The arm 36 normally depends into osition whereby it may be engaged from Beneath. For this purpose it preferably has a downwardly extending toe 39.

If the pipe 3'2 be connected with an air brake system operatable by reducing the pressure on the train line, or with a' whistle or other indicator operatable by air pressure, 'the pipe 32 will normally contain air under pressure and be normally closed by thevalve 2-33. This will be when the parts are in the osition shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When, iiowever, the arm 36 is elevated into the position shown in Fig. 4, the lever 3i is moved to open the valve 33, thereby allowing the air in the pipe to pass the valve, either escaping, reducing the pressure and applying the brake, or passing it and operating the signal or other indication, as desired. 40 designates the normally idle exit pipe beyond the valve 33 which conveys the discharge through that valve and opening to the atmosphere or otherwise, as desired.

To hold the stem of the valve 33 in either its open or closed position against accidental displacement, I provide a detent plunger 42 mounted in a casing 43 carried on the inner face of the wall 21 and pressed in opposite direction by a springs-i. This plunger occupies either of two notches L5 and 4G in a projecting ortion of the lever 34, thereby holding the ever with the valve closed or open, as the case may be 'The link 35 is slotted where it surrounds the pin in the end' of the lever 34. This enables upward movement of the arm 36 to shove upwardly the lever 3st to turn the valve stem from the closed position in Fig. 2 or 3 into the open position of Fig. 4. When the valve stem is in the oven position in Fig. 4, the dropping back 0 the lever 36 to normal position cannot return the valve, as the arm strikes its stop 48 before the upper end of the slot 49 engages the pin of the lever 34.

fl indicates a suitable regulating valve placed in the air pipe 32 to regulate, as desired, the effective opening of the pipe when the valve 33 operates.

The too 39 on the lever 36 normally occupies a longitudinal recess or groove 55 formed in the under face of the base 22 of. the casing, whereby that toe is protected on each side and may only be operated by something which projects up into the groove. The groove is closed at its forward end by the base portion 56 of the forward shoe of the casting. At its rear end it is protected by :1 depending pivoted block 57 which normally closes by gravity the slot 55 beneath the plate 22. This groove, however, continues beyond the gravity block 57 through the base portion 58 of the rear shoe 13.

From the construction of vehicle equipment described, it will be seen that when the vehicle is moving toward the right in the illustration shown, if a suitable abutment be caused to enter'the groove 55 in advance of the toe 39, such toe may engage the abutment and the valve 33 be accordingly operated with the desired result. After the toe clears the abutment, the latter may continue to occupy the groove 55, swinging upward the block 57 as it passes the abutment until the casting 2 has passed forwardly beyond the abutment. It is to be noted, however, that the abutment is to be of such character that it is out of the way of the shoe 1? with its base 56 while such portion of the locomotive equipment is passing over the abutment.

The most practical way to provide an abutment having these characteristics I conceive to be to have it stand normally idly beneath the path of the lower face of the shoe 12 and I automatically raised after that shoe has passed the abutment and before the too 39 has passed it. The track equipment which I have provided accomplishes this result, and will now he described.

As shown in the drawings, 00 represents the frame of the track equipment which mav comprise a box-like casting having project ing wings 61 and 62 adapted to lie ou top of ties 3 and be secured thereto by bolts 64. This frame may bemude of such dimensions that it will'stand with snugness between proecting ends of two ties which are separated by, anlnterrnediate tie in the usual position. It is accordingly only necessary to cut off the end of one tie and shift one of the others slightly to make the two projecting tie portions abut the ends of the box 60,-while the tongues 61 and 62 will extend the desired distance over the top face of the'tie. Extending along the top of the central boxlike portion of this casting and along the top of the two cars 61 and 02, is the intermediate projecting rib 67. This rib stands parallel with the track and furnishes means for protecting the mechanism hereinafter mentioned, as well as being of sufficient bulk to properly withstand shocks.

Mounted in the front plate 68 and therear plate 60 of the casting 60is the main operating shaft 70. Rigidly mounted on this shaft within the box is an arm 71 shown in Fig. 8 as keyed to the shaft. Loosely mounted on the shaft is an arm 75. The two arms are normally connected b a dog 76 pivoted at 77 to the arm 71 an carrying a pin 78 adapted to occupy a recess 79 in the rcarwardly projecting ortion of the arm 7 5. On the outer end 0 the shaft 70 is an operating arm 80. When this arm is swung toward the right, the arm 71 swings with it and, if the parts are in their normal iosition, the arm 75 is also swung to elevate its left hand end. Movement of the arm 80, however, toward the left simply causes the arm 71 to pull the pin 78 over the concentric portion 82 of the hub of the lever 75' without operating that lever.

Standing on the rear side of the dog 76 is a forked lever 85 mounted on a rock shaft 86 which extends laterally out of the track box. This fork is norma ly idle, but if the rock shaft is swung in the right hand direction, the left hand tine of thefork bearing against the pin 78 swings it out of the recess 79, as shown in Fig. 5, thereby interrnpting the connection between the arm 71 and the arm 75. The arm 75, in the simplified form in Fig. 11, carries on its upper end an abutment 90, while in the constructionof the other figures, the arm75 carries a pin 01 which occu )ies a slot 92 in the depending arm 93 0 an abutment bar 94 which is pivoted to the casting, preferably by a pin 95 extending through the projecting ri) 07 and an car 96.

The mechanism above described, it'will be seen provides a driving arm 80 which may be operated to raise an abutment or may operate idly, according to the position of the rock shaft 80. The abutment when idle stands along side of the protecting rib 67 and, when raised, is adapted to occupy the groove of the vehicle equipment'and engage the operating arm 80 therein. To 0 crate the arm 80, I provide a suitable lug 9 on the lower face of the bottom wall 50 of the vehicle casting. Thejpath of this lug, as the vehicle moves, crosses the upwardly projecting end of the lever 80, whereby if the vehicle is moving in the right hand direction, the forward face of the lug engaging-the arm will swing it toward the right and will thereby elevate the abutment into the path of the toe 39 in advance of that toe pr'ovided the dog 76 has the arms 71 and ifilatchedtogether. If these arms are unlatched, the movement of the lever 80 is idleflln any event,'the movement of the lever in the opposite direction is idle.

To hold the lever normally in its upright position, I provide a spring acting on the lever and'put under stress whichever waythe lever' moves. As shown, this spring is ac'omp'ression spring, occupying 8 a barrel 101, which is pivoted on a stud 102 extending forwardly from an ear 103 at the base of the casting 60. The spring is compressed between the end surface of this barrel and a head 105 on a rod 106 which ex- 85 tends through the barrel head and is pivoted at 107 to a depending portion of the lever 80. 108 and 109 indicate a pair of stops for limiting the extreme movement of the lever 80. A screw-plug 104 may close 901 the barrel.

In the particular form shown, the dog 7 (i which forms the connection between the arms 71 and 75 is bifurcated near its upper I end and lies on opposite sides of the arm 71 95? where it is pivoted to that arm. The arm 75 is bifurcated andlies on opposite sides of the arm 71, and the pin- 78 extending crosswise of the dog 76 occupies notches in the twofo'rks' of the arm 7 5. To take the strain off of the pin 77, Iform the dog with an abrupt boss 110 which is adapted to occupy a notch 111 in the'edgc of the arm 71. The pivoting at the pin 7 7 is loose enough so that when the arm 71 is swung, the abrupt 10 shoulder of the boss engages the abrupt wall of the notch 111",communicating the strain through such engaging surfaces.

It is to be understood that the rock shaft 86 extends laterally to some suitable mech- 111 anism, not shown, at the side of the truck, and this mechanism may swing that shaft in one direction or the other, according to track conditions. The shaft with its fork is preferably normallv in the condition shown Figs. 2, 3 and 4, so that the arm 80 is normally in position to operate the abutment 04. This may be called the normal danger position. he safety position of the rock shaft and fork is indicated in 15 Fi fi and is accomplished by rocking the roe shaft, which action may be effected automatically, according to track conditions, or otherwise, as desired. The fork 85 preferably, in the embodiment shown, stands 15 alongside of'the' inner face of the back plate 61) o the box 60 and engages the rearwardly promctmgportron of; tho'pin 78, this port on show1ngm:Fig.7.' To allow convenient access'to the box while keeping it normally closed, I provide suitable openings throughf nism on the vehicle;j-that such operation does not result when theprojecting rock shaft is turned, as itmay be, for conditions of safety; furthermore, that the mechanism... is non-cifective shouldthe vehicle passrcar- 1 ward over it. The locomotiveactuation may give a signal or apply afbrake automatically, as desired.

It will be noticed from an inspection of Fig. 3 that the lug 98 clears the lever before the toe 30 has engagcdthe abutment 94. Accordingly, with this equipment, if the vehicle is moving slowly. enough; the abutment 94: though raised, will have dropped by gravity before the -toe-reaehes it, so that no indication will be given. If, however, the vehicle is moving rapidly enough so that the abutment doesrnot have time to dropbefore the toe cngagesxit, an indication will be given. Bythis simple ar rangement I have thereforeprovided a governor, allowing the vehicle topass at a slow speed over an automatic stop, while-applying the brake automatically, shouldit at tempt to pass at a higherspced. By-way of illustration, the partsmay. be"s 0 ,p'ropormiles per hour or less, the abutment trough raised will drop before the toe BJ'comes over. its highest point, so thatpno actuation of the vehicle mechanism-results, butif runsuch highest point beforethe,abutmentcan drop, and the vehicle actuation results. This is of particular-importance where the operation on the vehicle is to automatically apply the brake, for it allows a locomotive the block by an engineer wlienthe signalisfiagiand provided against him will be under for by train rules. 3

When the air pipe has been. opened by the actuation of the lever 36, it'is'impossible for the engineer to closeitnfromfthe cab,

and the vehicle must comeso.nearl v to a stop that he can dismountand manuall v; r e-,

store the parts to normalipositionr- I Ehave shown mechanism in Fig. .6- to providc "for,

conveniently restoring these parts without opentmg the box on, the. locomotivev equip men nmg over five miles an hour, the toe; reaches The mechanism shownconsistsof a rock. shaftili'l' mounted in-tliewalls' 20 and" 21 of the casting? and havingta arm l18::which'-.standsaabove the lever 34. On the-outerend.ofgthis rock shaft is a knob 119 'by,,which-it 'may be turned. When the valve hasbeen opened, the rock arm 118 is thereby..raised,-; and 1a slight reverse twist on tl1e,k nob,,1l9'restores the parts to normal positionin -Having -thus ,dOSCIlbGd my invention,

'lliocombinationiof a casing adapted to be located along the trackwa-v, a PI'OJQCt- I mg ribalongtheguppcr face 01: the casing,

a pivoted actuatoradapted to stand normally alon sldc of s flld llb, mechanism for raisingsaid actuator, ,incans on the vehicle for operating sald mechanism, and an operating member. on the vehicle adapted to engage the actuator when raised.

2. The combinationof a casing adapted to stand betwcen railroad ties and having projecting lportionsto rest on the upper surfaces ofsuch ties, a rib along the upper face of the casing adapted to stand substantiallyparallel.with thetrack, an actuator pivotally mounted alongside of said rib and having a'-- portiondepending into the easing, an operatin member extending upwardly,.and mecianism within the casing adapted 1 to] connect .;the operating membei with the actuator.

3.. The combination'with a brake setting device, of a movmg:vehiclehaving an actu ating member, acasmg protecting said actu ,atingqmember, ajroclr shaft, an arm righ tioned that if the vehicle .is}movin five saidfcasing another arm loosely journalei about the rock shaft, a casing surroundin; said arm in which the shaft is mounted, a le thereon;invariably. cngaged by a portion 0 ver, connccted withsaid second named arr adaptedntobeswung upwardly from th horizontal position to engage the actuatin member on thevehicle, and means for cor necting the second named arm with the firs named armaccordingto safety or dangc conditions. v s

.4.1'lhe combinationaof a rock shaft, a arm rigid thereon, [another arm loosel journaled aboiit' the-rock' shaft, a movab connection between said two arms, a drivir member connected withone arm. an flttl .ato'rconnected Kvitlrthe other, and vehic mechanisms adapted to' engage the drivi andbe operated'bv' the actuator.

5. .The combination of a shaft. a pair arms, one, loose on the shaft and one tig thereon, an" actuator connected with t' loose arm. means on a passing vehicle ada ed to beoperateditherebv, a dog adapted connectthetightarm with the loose arm f one'direetion of rocking of the shaft b not forth'e' opposite direction, and a drivi: momhor'for rocking the shaft.

ii. The-combination of a shaft. a pair arm s,one loose on'the shaft and one tip thereon, an actuator connected with t ed to be operated thereby'a dog adapted to connect the tight arm with the loose'arm,

and a driving member for rocking the shaft,

a rock shaft, and mechanism thereon .forf moving said dog to idle position;

7. The combination of a casing adapted to be located along the trackway and having;

a protecting flange, an actuator adjacent to the protecting flange on the upper side of the casing and depending into it, a rock.

shaft extending from the side of the casin into its interior, an operatin arm ,on sai rock shaft on the outside of tie casing, and mechanism within the casing adapted to. connect said shaft with the depending'portion of the actuator, comprising an arm tight on said shaft, an arm loose on the shaft, a connecting dog, and meansfor moving the dog into active or idle position.

8. The combination of a casing adapt-ed to. be located along the trackway, an actuator on the upper side of the casing depending into it, a rock shaft in the casing, mechanism within the casing adapted to connect said shaft with the depending portion of the actuator, comprising an arm tight on said shaft, an arm loose on the shaft, a.eon nectin movable dog, a fork within the easing adapted to extend on opposite sides'of. the dog, and a rock shaft extending' from outside of the easing into its interior and a portion depending into the casing, a rock" shaft mounted in the casing, an arm loose on the rock shaft having a'pin and slot connection with said depending portion, an arm tight on the rock shaft within the casing, a dog pivoted to the last mentioned arm and carrying a pin adapted to engageon one side a shoulder on the loose arm and be-free on the opposite side, and means for moving said dog to cause its pin to clearthe shoulder altogether. 1..

10. The combination of a casing having projecting portions adapted to rest on the upper surfaces of railroad ties, a longitudinal rib extending along the upper face of the casing, an actuating bar pivotally mounted alongside of said rib"and having a portion depending into the casing, arock shaft mounted in the casing, anarmdoose on the rock shaft having a connection-with sald depending portion, an arm tight Ionthe",

loose arm, means on a passing vehicle adapt-' hide and' swung rock shaft within theycasing, means for connecting the tight and loose arms, an upwardly extending arm mounted on said rock shaft, and aspring tending to hold said last mentioned arm n a delinite intermediate jpositio'n. H 11. ;'I he combination of a. shaft, a pair of arms one loose on the shaft and one tight thereon, an actuator connected with the loose arm, means on a passing vehicle adapted to be operated thereby a dog pivoted to the tight armand adapted to engage the loose arm and having-an abrupt shoulder adapted tobear-against the tight arm to take the strained of the pivot of the dog, 'and'a frame carrying the various parts men- "tioned and-adapted for securement to rail- -way ties alongside of a rail.

12. The combination of a casing adapted to be secured to a moving vehicle, a movable operating member'carried by the casing and depending throu h an opening in its base, and a bumper. also carried by the casing, said casing having protecting shoes at its front and rear.- l

13. The combination of a casing having protecting shoes at itsjfront and rear and an intermediate box-like portion having an opening through its bottom, an arm pivoted wlthin theibox-likeportion and havin a toe dependin into said opening, and mec ianism controlhadby said arm.

a 14. The combination with an operatin member rnounted'on a movable vehicle an mechanism controlled'by the upward movement of'said member, of an actuator mountfed along the-trackway and adapted to stand beneath the path of the operating member,

and a pivoted arm mounted along the trackway and adapted to be engaged by the veforwardly, and mechanism whereby suchfiforward movement may raise the actuator intothe path of the operating member in advance-of it, the vehicle freeing the. arm before the-operating member has engaged-the actuator" and the actuator tending to return to idle position, whereby the actuator may engagethe'operating member ifthe vehicle is moving at sufficient speed but,will not"engage' it if it is moving at less thanj that speed, and mechanism operatedat will to interrupt the connection be- ,tween the-pivoted armand the actuator,

whereby the movement of the arm may be idle irrespective ofthe speed.

- In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' ELMER M. JONES.

*RJV. 'Brsas, D.. F.- Benson,

Witnesses 009m at thin patent maybe manta for are cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Wuhlngton, 13.0." 

